Sunday, February 28, 2010

Through a window

I remember happy times when I carried a tiny spiral notebook and a tiny pen in my pocket to jot down notes for stories to share on Mary’s View.

That was then.

Now,

I got nothin’. A few photos of birds and snow is what I have to offer.

Heck, this nothing post dangled in front of me for weeks on a canary legal pad before I had the gumption to do something about it. Tonight, I didn't remember how to create a post of words and photos... Pathetic, and I just renewed my flickr account.A hockey game distracted me. Thanks to Canada and USA!

Here are nice sparrows.

It’s been cloudy and unusually cold for three months.

Then there are the Starlings. They need to eat, too. I'm patient with their poor manners until the ground thaws and bugs emerge.

Spring is near and it’ll charge me, at least that’s my wish. Spring Peepers entertain more often now and affect my mood in a good way. They make me want to sing out loud!

I’m tired of taking pictures through the window.

I want to get outside and wash them!

My Carolina Wrens are on a feeding schedule

and scream when I’m late with my delivery.

The Eastern Bluebirds are like the Wrens.

I love this photo. Bluebird, far away in a tall pine, watching me deliver his Zick dough and worms. Thought: “Come land on my thumb, will ya?”

Soon, I will wean all of the birds from their elaborate menus. I’ll need to do it slowly and gently.

Zick dough is like crack. Brown Thrasher is an addict. See the dough?

Down the hatch, Brown Thrasher. Enjoy!

Most of my suburban backyard birds are found on pages xviii-xxiv of the Stokes Field Guide to Birds, Eastern Region, Quick Guide to the Most Common Birds.

Well. I have had a few uncommon birds, including the Eastern Bluebirds. Not many, however.

I’ve had a Ruby-crowned Kinglet here for a year but haven't been able to grab a pic of her until a few weeks ago. You know how flighty they are.

I feel like I’ve made the Varsity team of backyard birds and I’m honored

but will always acknowledge my regulars who never wander.

I can feel it. There are a few good, urgent, and wordy posts on the way. They’re only distant thoughts right now and many of them won’t have much to do with birds or nature. Human nature is quite interesting... Maybe I’ll vent or blow a fuse here. That’s always fun.

I’ve been following old Chloe and lonely Bella. There’s a story to tell for them, too. It's been fun this evening, here on the keyboard with a Patchouli candle burning behind me. Love Patchouli.Yep. For now, I got nothin’ except the desire to keep this blog alive.Somehow.

34 comments:

wow, what a treat; I miss having bluebirds in my yard; it's just matured and grown up, so not right for them any more. I thoroughly enjoyed this piece, especially the Thrasher. Gawd! I'm ready for Spring!

Hi Mary--it's hard to stay turbo-charged where blogging is concerned. I find myself running to FB, grabbing a few tidbits then running.Blogging takes time, thinking, cogitating.I am inching toward more commentary these days--may lose readers. Oh well.Love da birds at your place--I have, for the first time I can recall, a lovely Carolina wren hanging around.

OH Mary, you're nothin' is sure somethin! and you have more birds than me and I'm sick of winter too! Bring on the sunshine!On my blog, the pictures are getting bigger and the sentences shorter, all my creativity being used up just to survive the longest winter in recent history!

Mary,My Minnesota kids feel like they have seen the beginning of the next Ice Age this winter...everybody above the 40th parallel is hungry for spring!I went into my stashed photos from last spring for this week's blog. I am tired of shooting pictures through the window, too.

Well, hello, dear. That's some kinda nothing you got there. Today, I'm facing an empty blog pantry and little desire to remedy the situation. Hm. What to do? We're under a foot of snow, more falling today; the poor woodcocks are wandering in the road, having no place to go. Everyone's cranky and tired of the relentless cold and snow. We should have been hearing peepers for two weeks by now. I hear you!

The Science Chimp cannot help noting the swollen left foot on your beautiful male bluebird. Does he flap a lot when he lands? It seems to be giving him pain. Looks to me like the same gout that affected my crack-addicted pair here (see my post, Uh-Oh, Zick Dough). http://juliezickefoose.blogspot.com/2008/06/uh-oh-zick-dough.htmlIf you can get more pictures of him, I'd really love to see them. You get superb detail in your shots.Looks like time to cut off the crack for your birdies.: - (I'd love to have a brown thrasher tossing it back!Oh, the dilemma of luring birds in with stuff that's bad for them. Rest assured I'm working on the recipe.Good luck with the blog doldrums.

Well the Science Chimp came and saw. I knew you would catch that, Julie. I almost commented on his swollen foot in the post but I was not certain and planned to send you a note about it. I made a double batch of Zick dough this weekend. Last one of the year...

This winter seems to be sucking the life out of all of us. I keep telling myself that this winter has to end sometime, but I've said that so many times that it has become cliche. I think I've stopped believing it.

Mary,Always a treat to visit and read your blog..I'm just a little envious of your "nothen"...you have blues, and kinglets! sigh..I break a nail getting the top off of my peanut feeder just so those starlings can swarm, fight and scream at each other..how I would love to look out and see that thrasher..

I think those words can be the title of almost any story about the 2010 winter season.

I have one mockingbird (I've named Marcel)that is always secretly standing guard. Every morning and every evening I throw out some Zick dough and he magically appears out of nowhere to gobble up a few globs before flying off.

I am so happy to read your post and see your birds.It has been a wet and cold winter at my house too. Sweet Spring is wakening up and she will be throwing a party soon.I am enjoying my husband's retirement. We play alot!Good to hear from you,Sherry

it must have been a year since i last visited your blog and i think it is lovely the way it has evolved. i loved your ramblings and bird photos. hope the snow clears up soon. Here in the Phililppines we have scorchiing heat. i love looking out windows and enjoyed seeiing the view from yours:)

If your excellent entry was nothing, then my little blog may not even exist. Honestly, well done! You're a very talented lady. What fun to see all your birds. My favorite line: "Zick dough is like crack. Brown Thrasher is an addict. See the dough?" Heh heh. I can just imagine the birds hammering at your windows if you forget to give them a hit. ;-)

Hola Mary,I hope that you are doing ok. I haven't been posting much either. At least you have some beautiful backyard birds to enjoy and photograph.Smile! Your blog will be alive for a loooooooooooong time, it is just hibernating ;)

Beautiful post, Mary. Hope Spring comes your way soon. Ours is a little late here -- but temps have finally started to warm. It has been an unusually cold winter for central west Florida. Our azaleas are just starting to bloom -- about 4 weeks late. :)